Floods in Malaysia: Jams in KL; east coast ravaged

3,000 evacuated in Terengganu; Pahang, Kelantan also affected
Straits Times 5 Dec 09;

KUALA LUMPUR: Massive traffic jams caused by flash floods hit Kuala Lumpur yesterday, even as states in the east coast struggled to cope after days of heavy rain.

Roads were clogged with cars and other vehicles throughout the city, the situation worsened by the closure of the Smart tunnel, which is used for diverting water to prevent flooding.

A stretch of the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway was under water, as were several other roads including Jalan Chan Sow Lin, an industrial area on the edge of Kuala Lumpur.

On the east coast, more than 3,000 people have been evacuated in Terengganu as a third wave of monsoon rain continued to wreak havoc there.

The flood situation was the most serious in the state, where rivers swelled to dangerous levels.

But officials said yesterday that major roads - including the Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan road and Kuala Terengganu-Kota Baru road - were passable to all vehicles.

In Pahang, nearly 300 more flood victims were evacuated yesterday, adding to the previous toll of 36. Flash floods left several low-lying areas under 0.5m of water.

Flooding in Kelantan, where the number of evacuees remained at about 26 in Kota Baru, claimed five victims, including a seven-year-old boy.

As meteorological officials warned the states and also Johor to brace themselves for more rain, the National Security Council secretary said that 48 helicopters as well as rescue boats were ready to be mobilised for rescue operations.

Mr Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab said the central disaster management and relief committee had also set up an operations centre to monitor the flood situation and to coordinate any evacuation.

He said 105 rescue boats had been sent to states expected to be hit by serious floods.

BERNAMA, THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Heavy rain expected in Pahang and Johor
The Star 5 Dec 09;

KUALA LUMPUR: The yellow stage heavy rain in Pahang and Johor is expected to persist until tonight according to the Meteorological Department.

Intermittent rain, occasionally heavy, was expected in Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin in Pahang and Mersing, Kluang, Kota Tinggi, Johor Baru, Pontian and Batu Pahat in Johor, it said in a statement yesterday.

This condition could cause floods in low-lying areas near river banks, it added. — Bernama